Valkyria Chronicles Chronicles of Squad 7
by alimination602
Summary: A short recount of the events of the start of the War from the point of view of Town Watcher Alicia Melchiott turned Militia Sergeant Melchiott.


Chapter 1- Chronicles of Squad 7

The target lay directly in front of her. She gripped the rifle tightly against her chest. Alicia Melchiott allowed a long, gentle breath to cascade past her quivering lips. All other thoughts left her mind- she could only focus on her target that lay less than thirty feet away. She clasped the rifle tighter to her chest. She squeezed the trigger. The round shredded through the paper target at the end of the rifle range, the chest of the Imperial soldier cut-out exploding in a flurry of sand and paper fragments.

Alicia let the weapon fall limp in her arms, taking the moment of silence to reconfigure her wayward thoughts. She rose to her feet, throwing her head back to stare blankly up into the sky, the clear blue view pocketed by the clear white forms of birds gliding freely overhead. Alicia shook her head clear, her conscious mind taking hold of her body once more.

She turned to face Susie Evans. The two had joined the Bruhl Town Watch together after news had arrived that the Federation and the Empire were quickly advancing their armies towards their neighbouring border. With Gallia caught between the two superpowers the small nation could not afford to be caught off guard. In response to this Town Watches were being established in all small communities along the Gallia/Imperial border as a first line of defence against the threat of invasion which hung like a dark cloud over the peaceful community.

"What do you think?" Alicia asked.

"It was certainly an impressive shot Alicia" Susie spoke in a light and gentle tone which matched her full, blonde curls which blew gracefully in the wind.

Alicia held the rifle at arms length. "Your turn" However Susie was reluctant to accept the offering. Alicia sensed the girl's reluctance. "Come on. We've already had the military training at school"

"Yeah, but that was mainly just running and climbing. We rarely actually had to use any weapons?"

"What are you goanna do if the Imps come?" Susie had to concede.

Susie reluctantly accepted the weapon, as if fearing it would bite back the moment she touched it. She gripped the weapon, almost surprised by the weight of the weapon. She held the gun tightly to her chest as she had seen Alicia do. She nervously pulled the trigger, letting out a yelp of surprise as the unexpected recoil punched into her shoulder. The gun broke free of her loose grip and fell to the floor at Susie's feet, the girl bringing her arms up to her chest instinctively. Susie lost her delicate balance, falling backwards, collapsing into the dirt.

The shock eventually subsided, Susie tentatively opening her eyes. Alicia stepped over to check if she was alright. Susie took the moment to reacquire her rampant thoughts, the sudden shock of the moment having sent her heart into overdrive. "You ok?" Alicia asked.

Susie smiled weakly. "Yeah, just took a bit of a tumble". Alicia took her hand, helping her to her feet. Alicia retrieved the discarded weapon. Susie looked up from brushing the dust from her skirt. She almost physically recoiled at the sight of the weapon.

"Come on, you've still got to learn how to use this" Alicia held the weapon at arms length for Susie to accept. Susie took the weapon with a shaking hand. She turned to face the target at the end of the firing range. The sight at the end of the weapon wavered left and right, Susie's attempts to stabilise the wayward rifle only served to aggravate the problem further.

The weapon suddenly steadied, the target remaining firmly at the end of the barrel. Susie felt a soft warmth pressing against her back, another set of hands wrapping around her own. Alicia's hands wrapped around Susie's, guiding her. "You need to tighten you grip, otherwise the gun will just slip out of your hands. Make sure you brace yourself for the recoil, you don't want to end up in the dirt again" Alicia said with a soft giggle.

"Ok" Susie tightened her grip on the weapon.

"Now just take a deep breath" Alicia took in a deep breath, Susie mimicked the motion. Alicia let the air cascade past her lips, Susie soon followed.

Susie stared the target down, her eyes becoming ever more focused solely on the target which lay at the end of her rifle. She squeezed the trigger. Susie's eyes snapped shut. The recoil pounded into her shoulder, her muscles tensed to prevent her from collapsing back into the dirt. Susie sheepishly opened her eyes. She saw the target at the end of the range, sand drizzling out of the wound she had inflicted on the sand bags behind the target.

"Huh" Alicia's eyes squinted as she tried to make out where the target had hit. "Just skimmed his side" Alicia smiled. "Not a kill shot, but you hit him"

Susie disentangled herself from Alicia's long arms, turning to face Alicia. "How can you be so calm about all this shooting?"

"They're just sandbags" Alicia replied.

"But what about when they're not sandbags. What about when it's real people we're being forced to shoot at?"

Alicia pondered the question for a moment. "Well chances are they'll be shooting at us too. So I'd say that officially makes them fair game"


End file.
